“It starts with a great idea and a creative vision, as someone who is passionate about bringing it to life,” Holland says about what she seeks in a TV show. “Those are usually the key ingredients. Because we have such a diverse slate of programming, we’re pretty open about genre and different types of stories. We’re looking for a unique voice.”ARTICLE

A 16-year veteran of NetflixHolland is an Insider on the Company approach,and has been at the head of Original Content sinceit was adopted as the company strategy

Netflix doesn’t rely on broad demographics — it’s not trying to attract advertisers, to whom this would be most relevant — but rather its algorithms identify like-minded fan communities who are connected via their entertainment preferences

When execs are deciding whether or not to order a new series, they determine whether they can aggregate enough of those taste communities “to justify the cost of a show.”

In 2016 the global subscription-video service stopped segmenting its members by geography and started treating them as a single, cohesive audience. It made its algorithms global. And that helped the company, which is reputed for its recommendation engine, uncover connections between the TV shows and movies viewers watched, or didn’t watch, that ran deeper than where those people lived.ARTICLE

Lisa NishimuraVP, Original Documentary and Comedy Programming

“Oftentimes people will say the documentary audience is niche,” says Nishimura, who is on the lookout for the next great nonfiction story. “Roughly 75% of our audience in the last 12 months has watched a documentary.” Of Netflix’s stand-up comedy specials, she says, “We began hearing from managers about the big bump their talent was receiving from promoters wanting to book them. That’s a brilliant outcome.”ARTICLE

Nishimura was not discouraged by the lack of bold-faced names in the project, or by the fact that the brothers wanted to tell it across six and a half hours. She saw in Wild Wild Country a chance to tell a true story in a style as complicated, vivid, and character-driven as a prestige-TV drama. In fact, she already had something like that in the works: Making a Murderer, a series investigating circumstances surrounding a Wisconsin man’s conviction, which would become a worldwide sensation.

If Making a Murderer launched Nishimura’s reputation as a queen of the docu-series when it premiered in December 2015, Wild Wild Country cemented it this spring. After the cult documentary’s March release, viewers obsessed over every outrageous detail and delectated in the vintage jewel-colored clothing. Actress Mandy Moore even posted photos from her Wild Wild Country-themed party on Instagram. Ma Anand Sheela—secretary to the guru and the charismatic anti-heroine of the series—became a global celebrity in her own right.

Increasingly, there is talk of Netflix backing some of the most ambitious documentaries and making them more accessible to discerning viewers. The woman championing this trend is Lisa Nishimura, Netflix's vice president of original documentaries and comedy. Seen as a global influencer who is changing the way non-fiction is made. BIO

Netflix Filmography... of sorts

TOP FIVE DOCUMENTARIES ON NETFLIX

Making A Murderer: Revolves around a man wrongly implicated in a sexual assault and attempted murder case

The Keepers: A seven-part series on the unsolved murder of a Baltimore nun

13th: A sharp examination of racial politics and discrimination in America

Amanda Knox: Based on the life of an American exchange student convicted for the 2007 death of another student

Chef's Table: Inside the lives, and kitchens, of some of the greatest culinary geniuses of our times

Jen Kirkman: Just Keep Livin'?: An incisive take on being an independent woman and managing relationships

Erik BarmackVP, Local Originals

“We’re trying to do the things that are not readily available on free TV in those markets,” Barmack says of an initiative that targets programming to specific regions around the world. “We’re really trying to find things that are noisy and disruptive. In Brazil, we took a market where telenovelas are quite popular, and we did a sci-fi show.”ARTICLE

Erik Barmack, who does international originals, is focused on making shows for [specific] regions and then hopefully they'll be big enough to travel.

“I want this division to be able to make a movie for $1 million and $151 million and all the levels in between,” says Stuber, who recently came to Netflix from Universal. “That also means different faces in front of the camera and behind the camera. ARTICLE

Bajaria leads the team focused on TV and film licensing from major U.S. studios as well as on co-production relationships with major U.S. networks. She also will oversee a new team that’s developing original unscripted programs for the streaming serviceARTICLE

“The unscripted area is a big priority for us,” Bajaria says. Netflix has greenlit 50 shows, from docuseries to competitions, that will start rolling out next year. “We know there’s an aggressive audience for those kinds of shows. And we’re going to continue to be in the talk-show space. It doesn’t have to fit an exact format; we’re going to experiment.”VARIETY ARTICLE

CO-LICENCED CONTENT

Deals for several other series are currently being negotiated.

AMC/Sony TV’s Better Call Saul (airs internationally on Netflix a day after the episodes’ US premiere)

Universal Cable Prods.’ Nightflyers, based on George R.R. Martin’s novella, on Syfy

The series co-licensed by Netflix as part of the model so far include the

Under the co-licensing model, Netflix is collaborating with big US studios on series that air on other linear or digital networks in the US Netflix takes first-run global distribution in as many territories as available—ideally, everywhere outside of Canada and the United States. Netflix comes in as a partner on projects that are going to series at a finished script or pilot stage and as early as script development. Netflix boarding a project as international distributor for a hefty fee that covers a significant part—or even the entire series budget—could help it get a green light in a template that is somewhat similar to international pre-sales for indie films

We've gone studio to studio saying, "We believe in this show, and we want to support this writer's vision. You already have a domestic network, and now we want to partner with you and offer first run to our members internationally."

Ex President of Universal Television Studios

Brandon RieggUnscripted Originals & Acquisitions

At Netflix Riegg’s unscripted team has launched:

Queer Eye

Nailed It!

My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.

The Final Table

Ring as Senior Vice President and co-head of NBC’s alternative programming department launched:

The Voice,

America’s Got Talent,

American Ninja Warrior,

Little Big Shots and

Hollywood Game Night.

Riegg as Executive Director of Alternative Series & Specials at ABC oversaw:

Dancing with the Stars,

Wife Swap and

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. He also developed

Wipeout,

Shaq Vs.

I Survived a Japanese Game Show.

Previous appointments include stints at Mark Burnett Productions and Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Television, and Director of Series Development & Original Programming for VH1ARTICLE

"We are looking for stories that resonate globally," Riegg explained. "We are a U.S. company, but global network." He added that the streamer was also typically leaning towards innovative projects or new angles and twists on known propositions. Beyond big-scale shows, niche projects with a passionate audiences are also of interest to the streamer, Riegg explained.HOLLYWOOD REPORTER ARTICLE

THE FINAL TABLETeams of chefs vie to impress some of the world's toughest palates as they whip up iconic dishes from different nations in this fast-paced competition.

QUEER EYEfranchise reboot, a new Fab Five in New York City.The style experts forge relationships with men and women who often have different beliefs from them, leading to moments of social commentary interspersed with style advice.David Collins, who created the original show, is on board as an executive producer.

MY NEXT GUESTNEEDS NO INTRODUCTIONDAVID LETTERMANDavid Letterman is out of retirement and returning to television with a six-episode, 60-minute Netflix series -- My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman

As part of a $100 million megadeal that included stand-up specials, Netflix bought the library as well as a new season of Jerry Seinfeld's shortform talk show. Forthcoming episodes could run longer than previous seasons.

THE JOEL MCHALE SHOW WITH JOEL MCHALE

Consider the weekly topical half-hour, launching Feb. 18, the Netflix-ization of his show The Soup. McHale will take a sharp, absurdist look at global pop culture, with star guests, comedy sketches and clips.

MY NEXT GUEST NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION

Letterman's next act became six 60-minute interviews with people who interest him, from George Clooney to President Barack Obama. Asked whether she'd like more, Bajaria says, "If he'll do more."

AN UNTITLED MICHELLE WOLF SHOW

While the details are still being sorted, the Daily Show correspondent is heading to Netflix. "With people like Michelle, the format's based on who they are," says Bajaria. "Where they are in their lives and what they're passionate about."